Courage is the ability to be yourself (and to promote yourself)

I used to “cringe” at people who professionally promoted themselves in any way (both online and offline), or shared their lived experiences and knowledge on public platforms like LinkedIn. But then I asked myself— if I don’t professionally promote myself and share my own thoughts, ideas, and lived experiences with the world, then who will do that FOR ME? And in that moment—I realized that my “cringe” was societal conditioning paired with my own fear of public embarrassment. We all have so much to offer this world, and our own lived experiences and our voices deserve to be heard. It’s how we become better people and professionals. Shout out to all of the trailblazers that had the courage to go against the grain. ✨

Instagram post by Viola Davis